ISSN:
1432-1106
Keywords:
Visual cortex
;
Sustained and transient neurones
;
Spatial and temporal tuning
;
Receptive field organisation
;
Single unit
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Medicine
Notes:
Summary Receptive field properties of cells in area 17 of the visual cortex in the cat have been studied by quantitative methods. The cortical cells were classified as ‘sustained’ or ‘transient’ according to their response to a stationary, optimal bar at the receptive field centre, this being analogous to the classification of retinal ganglion cells according to their response to a stationary, optimal spot. Evidence is presented that the ‘sustained/transient’ classification is independent of the ‘simple/complex’ classification. ‘Sustained’ cells of both ‘simple’ and ‘complex’ types had spatial frequency tuning curves with a sharp low-frequency cut, whereas ‘transient’ cells, both ‘simple’ and ‘complex’, had tuning curves with a shallow low-frequency cut, and on average were tuned to lower spatial frequencies than ‘sustained’ cells. ‘Sustained’ cells of both ‘simple’ and ‘complex’ types, had temporal frequency tuning curves with a shallow low-frequency cut, whereas ‘transient’ cells had curves with a sharp low-frequency cut, and on average were tuned to higher temporal frequencies than ‘sustained’ cells. The results indicate that ‘sustained’ and ‘transient’ cortical cells retain the spatial and temporal properties of ‘sustained’ and ‘transient’ retinal ganglion cells, respectively, and thus the two groups of neurones are organised in parallel throughout the visual system, the ‘sustained’ channel providing high spatial resolution and the ‘transient’ channel, high temporal resolution.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00234672
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